Promise Me

I’m the father? Ryan actually said that. It should have clicked. She must have gotten pregnant about the time she took me home. I didn’t remember that night though. What the hell had I done to her? My knees almost gave way. I wanted to throw up. Nobody said anything.

“Did I hear you correctly?” My father said.

Oh hell no.

Everyone was suddenly looking at Dad but me. I couldn’t face him. “Ryan, did you say Ronan is the father of Skylar’s baby?” He was livid. So angry that I was sure he wanted to kill me right now.

Teg looked shocked as he stood beside Dad. I could see his expression without looking at Dad. Ciaran was pissed at Ryan. “Goddammit Ryan,” he snapped in a low tone.

“Yes,” she replied suddenly filled with regret that she had spilled Skylar’s secret.

My head was spinning but the only thing that I could think of was that I needed to talk to Skylar. I took her arm and asked her to come with me. She shook her head no. “Skylar please,” I begged.

“Ronan, what did you do to her?” My father asked obviously concerned as I was when she wouldn’t leave the table to talk to me. Her reaction to me earlier, haunted me now. I didn’t know. I released Skylar immediately. I took a step back from her.

Coach walked over to me. “What the hell is going on?” He asked.

Dad looked between us. “Ronan, I don’t think I know you anymore. I’m not sure that I want to. You just need to leave

.” I nodded but where would I go? I no longer had an apartment.

“You can go to our house,” Ciaran told me knowing what I was thinking. He was my twin. He understood me and could read me. My head was in a bad place. I just needed to ask Skylar questions or maybe Ciaran had the answers I needed.

“Next door to Mom and Dad,” I replied softly.

Before anyone else could speak up, Coach took out some keys and handed me one. “Go to my cabin. You can stay there as long as you want Ronan.” His voice was soft and understanding. His eyes filled with compassion I wasn’t sure that I deserved.

I went to my car and turned back once to look at Skylar. The shock of what they said, she was pregnant with my baby left me reeling. I just wanted to talk to her. I wanted to know what happened between us.

**

The look on his face was horrible. The words that his father said to him heartbreaking. I saw him looking at me then he climbed in his car and drove away. I should have just spoken to him but not here and not now.

Mom and Stevie walked over to the table where we had been sitting. She sat beside me with Stevie standing behind her. No pressure at all with both of them hovering. “Is it true?” Mom asked me.

I nodded. “Want to explain how this happened?” She asked barely controlling her tears.

“I saw him one night at a night club. He was in pretty bad shape. He kissed me.” I glanced around at everyone staring at me then I swallowed my tears so I could continue. I looked back at the table top so I didn’t have to look at anyone. “Ronan asked me to take him home.” I could feel the tears welling in my eyes again. All I could see in my head was Ronan’s horrified face. Aine rose from the picnic table where she was sitting and stood behind me too, near Stevie. She wrapped her arms around my chest comforting me as my big sister always did. I started bawling at the touch of her hands on me.

“He doesn’t remember,” she explained. “He didn’t know.”

“Oh good lord,” Stevie said while my sister continued to comfort me. Stevie slapped her forehead.

“He just wanted to talk to me,” I sobbed.

“I know,” Aine replied. “You can talk to him later.”

“Did he hurt you?” Declan asked.

Stevie swatted her husband in the stomach. “Declan.”

“She’s pregnant. He’s damn near a foot taller than her and was apparently so wasted he didn’t remember being with her. Skylar didn’t want to talk to him. She obviously didn’t want to come today. What else am I supposed to think?”

“I feel,” I stopped to collect myself. “I feel more responsible about this than he should. I knew he was drunk or high. I knew it was more than alcohol. I worried about him for months then I heard about his overdose and felt guilty for not telling anyone about that night but I didn’t want anyone to know. That is all. Ronan didn’t hurt me. I was humiliated that he didn’t remember it.”

Declan dropped onto a bench. He rubbed his forehead tiredly. “I hate that this happened.”

“I don’t,” I told him. I stepped out of Aine’s arms and went to my car where my purse was. It held my ultrasound pictures.